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Kentucky Film Tax Incentive Program Draws Production Company to Murray

Kansas City Studio 4 by Rick Andersen
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"Candles" Facebook

A Nashville-based film company is opening a production office in Murray citing Kentucky as one of the best states for film incentives.  

President of Chance Film Productions John Russell says a production base will be opened in time to shoot the feature film “Candles” in Calloway and Caldwell counties later this year.  

The state legislature recently expanded Kentucky’s tax incentives for film productions to 30 percent of the film’s budget.  

Russell says Kentucky is a prime shooting location but the biggest draw is financial.

"Kentucky has the best incentive in the nation," said Russell. "Best over Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, which are some of the best incentive programs. But this one that the legislature has passed supersedes that. That was a big factor, but then of course Kentucky locations have the same exterior looks that could simulate Oklahoma."

Kentucky Office of Financial Incentives Director Todd Cassidy says under the new law, companies can apply for up to 30 percent of the film’s budget plus an additional 10%  for hiring Kentuckians and choosing certain counties.   

“Craft services, hotel rooms, car rental, crew wages, what they pay for their extras, location fees, essentially everything it takes to make a movie is a qualified expenditure," said Cassidy. "That’s how film companies determine where they’re going to film anymore. It used to be the go to the location and then they’d make it work. But now they shop for the incentive and they find a location they can make fit.

"Locations in Kentucky are very diverse: we have small towns and big cities, the relatively flatlands in the western part of the state and the mountainous regions in the east, the rolling horse farms in the central part. There's just a lot to offer film companies, the incentives just really brings their attention to the state."

“Candles” is based on the real-life Camp Scott murders in northeastern Oklahoma in 1977. The film is working off a planned $2.8M budget and stars Kathryn Eastwood, daughter of the legendary actor-director. Russell says all the roles have already been cast, but roles for about 160 extras will be given to Kentuckians after a June 27th audition in Louisville. Russell says he would be interested in hiring interns and students from Murray State University's TV Production program.

?Production on “Candles” will begin in August, but Russell says the company has plans to use the Murray office for future Kentucky projects.

"We have four projects on the drawing board, and at least three of them would work well in Kentucky," said Russell.

Rob Canning is a native of Murray, KY, a 2015 TV Production grad of Murray State. At MSU, he served as team captain of the Murray State Rowing Club. Rob's goal is to become a screenwriter, film director or producer and looks to the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Guy Ritchie for inspiration. He appreciates good music, mainly favoring British rock n' roll, and approves of anything with Jack White's name on it. When not studying, rowing or writing, Rob enjoys spending his free time with a book or guitar.
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